GAZA: ISRAELI MISSILE STRIKE KILLS HAMAS LEADER AND CO-FOUNDER , ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI

Record ID: 342267

  • Title: GAZA: ISRAELI MISSILE STRIKE KILLS HAMAS LEADER AND CO-FOUNDER , ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI
  • Date: 17th April 2004
  • Summary: (W7) GAZA CITY, GAZA (APRIL 17, 2004) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) (NIGHT SCENES) 1. VARIOUS SCENE OF AFTERMATH OF MISSILE ATTACK WITH CROWD AROUND AL-RANTISSI 0.42 2. VARIOUS OF ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI ON STRETCHER BEING PUT INTO AMBULANCE/ AMBULANCE DRIVING AWAY 1.09 3. PAN BACK TO CROWD 1.16 4. VARIOUS OF ANOTHER VICTIM ON STRETCHER BEING PUT INTO AMBULANCE 1.31 5. CLOSE OF MAN HOLDING SHOE FROM THE SCENE 1.36 6. WIDE OF CROWD AT SCENE 1.43 7. SLV POSTER AT SCENE 1.50 8. VARIOUS OF MORE OF AFTERMATH WITH AMBULANCE AT SCENE /CHANTING CROWD SURROUNDING BLOODIED CLOTHES IN REMAINS OF CAR 2.22 9. VARIOUS OF INTERIOR OF HOSPITAL WITH AL-RANTASSI BEING RUSHED ON STRETCHER THROUGH CORRIDORS AND INTO LIFT 2.47 8. VARIOUS OF CROWD CHANTING "RANTISSI" OUTSIDE HOSPITAL 3.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVAEMLT5F658SWCEWQYGK1OWQPE2
  • Story Text: Israeli missile strike kills Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi,
    leader of Hamas in Gaza.




    An Israeli helicopter missile strike on a car in
    Gaza City killed top Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi on
    Saturday (April 17).

    Witnesses said two of Rantissi's bodyguards were also
    killed in the attack in which two missiles were fired.

    Medics said Rantissi, 56, Hamas's leader in the
    militant group's Gaza Strip stronghold, had been rushed to
    a Gaza City hospital in critical condition after the
    attack. Sources said he had been wounded in the head with
    shrapnel.

    Hundreds of Hamas members and supporters flooded to the
    hospital after news of the Israeli raid.

    A crowd of Palestinians swarmed around the wreck of the
    white car, pulling out what appeared to be fragments of
    clothing.

    Hamas, which has been behind scores of suicide attacks
    against Israel in the 3 1/2-year old Palestinian uprising
    and has pledged to destroy the Jewish state, issued an
    immediate vow of revenge.

    The air strike occurred hours after an Israeli border
    policeman was killed by a Palestinian suicide bomber at the
    Erez crossing on the Israeli-Gaza border.

    The killing of Rantissi occurred against the backdrop
    of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon winning U.S. backing
    for a unilateral Gaza pullout plan.

    Palestinian anger has mounted over U.S. President
    George W. Bush's related decision this week to allow Israel
    to keep some parts of the West Bank.

    No immediate comment was available from Israel on the
    helicopter strike.

    Rantissi, a co-founder of Hamas, had become one of its
    two main leaders since Israel's killing of Hamas spiritual
    head Ahmed Yassin in Gaza on March 22.

    Israel has been vowing to kill leaders of Hamas because
    of its attacks against the Jewish state.

    It tried to kill Rantissi, public face of a Palestinian
    militant group that normally stays in the shadows, last
    June.

    On that occasion he and his teenage son were wounded in
    an Israeli helicopter missile strike on his car, also in
    Gaza City.

    Rantissi had refused to go into hiding like many of his
    comrades on Israel's wanted list since Hamas launched a
    suicide bombing campaign to spearhead the Palestinian
    uprising.

    He had long depicted himself as a Hamas politician with
    no links to the military wing.

    But Israel had refused to accept the distinction,
    accusing him of being a top decision-maker on attacks and
    of using his media role to incite violence.

    With Rantissi filling the role of Hamas spokesman,camera crews
    from around the world have trooped to his modestly furnished living
    room to hear him issue vows of revenge, often in calm, even tones,
    for Israel's killing of militants.


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